Study SF & Fantasy Writing with Neil Gaiman

Clarion is accepting applications for this year's Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers' Workshop, to be held June 29 - August 9, 2008 at University of California, San Diego. The instructors for 2008 include Kelly Link, James Patrick Kelly, Mary Anne Mohanraj, Nalo Hopkinson, Geoff Ryman, and Neil Gaiman. From the website:

The Clarion Workshop is an intensive six-week summer program focused on fundamentals particular to the writing of science fiction and fantasy. It is considered a premier proving and training ground for aspiring writers of science fiction, fantasy and horror. Now in its fortieth year, the Clarion Workshop boasts national and international visibility. Instructors are among the most respected writers and editors working in the field today. Over one third of our graduates have been published and many have gone on to critical acclaim.

Applications are due by March 1st. For more information on applying, click here.

CFP: Neil Gaiman, Comic Book Novelist

Another Call for Papers, this time just for one panel at a larger conference (the 2007 College English Association Conference). Note the close deadline for abstracts (November 1, 2006) and that they're looking for papers focused on Gaiman's novels.

"Neil Gaiman: Comic Book Novelist"
Special panel at the 2007 College English Association Conference
March 29-31, 2007
New Orleans, LA
Deadline for submission: November 1, 2006

Neil Gaiman was first noticed by literary scholars for his work in comic books and graphic novels. Several articles and anthologies have been written about his landmark comic series, Sandman, and about his graphic novels. In the past 10 years, though, Gaiman has gained prominence as a novelist. He has authored five novels (Neverwhere [1996], Stardust [1999], American Gods [2001], Coraline [2002], and Anansi Boys [2005]) and has co-authored one novel (Good Omens [1990] with Terry Pratchett). Nevertheless, Gaiman’s novels have received little attention by literary scholars. This panel seeks 10-15 minute papers that explore unexamined questions about Gaiman’s novels. Although this panel will be open to any subject regarding Gaiman’s novels, special areas of interest include:

• Theory of the fantastic
  
• Use of traditional formats in a postmodern world (e.g., American Gods as road novel, Stardust as pre-Tolkien fairy tale)
  
• Deities and faerie creatures as metaphors
  
• The interaction between reader and text/the real and the unreal
  
• Gaiman’s portrayal of America (broadly defined)/Gaiman’s portrayal of England
  
• Literary theories applied to Gaiman’s novels (e.g., psychological, feminist, reader-response, etc.)
  

Abstracts should be 200-500 words, and should be submitted by November 1 at the following website: http://english.ttu.edu/CEA/conftool/index.php

For more information, please visit the following website: http://www2.widener.edu/%7Ecea/conference2006.htm

Tim Peoples
Department of English
Texas State University-San Marcos
Email: tim@litterarius.com

Thanks to Kate for the tip!